Brassiere



Aug. 25, 1964 w. D. BROWN 3,145,714

BRASSIERE Filed June 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

WLAl/YM D. Beam/1v W- D. BROWN Aug. 25, 1964 BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1961 INVENTOR. mun/14 D. Beam 1v firraelvsys.

United States Patent 3,145,714 BRASSIERE William 1). Brown, Glendale, Califi, assignor to Munsingwear, Inc, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 27, 1961, Ser. No. 119,895 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-484) This invention relates to brassieres. The main function of such a garment is to provide cups for the reception and support of the breasts so as to enhance the attractiveness of the female form.

When using such garments, the wearers posture has a definite effect upon the capability of the cups to support the breasts. For example, a twisting of the torso may readily cause binding of one of the portions of a cup and looseness at other portions. This may not only effect the appearance of the wearer, but may also cause at least temporary discomfort.

It is one of the objects of this invention to relieve the discomfort and as well to maintain the cups in good breast supporting relation.

In order to accomplish this result, each cup structure is formed with a pair of segments overlapping at the inner edges of the segments, and free to move apart or together. It is accordingly another object of this invention to provide a cup structure of this character, preferably suspended by a strap the ends of which are respectively connected to the top edges of the segments.

It is another object of this invention to provide two-part cups the parts of which can overlap to a degree to cause the effective volume of the cup to vary as required by the postures of the wearer.

It is another object of this invention to improve in general, brassieres of this character.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of the brassiere incorporating the invention, shown as worn on a human figure;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a portion of the brassiere;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an inside or rear view of that portion of the brassiere which is shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the parts for one of the cups of the brassiere, and the corresponding part of the body-encircling member to which the cup parts are attached.

The brassiere includes a body-encircling member 1 which may be made in any appropriate manner and of any desired material such as broadcloth, lace, satin, stretch material or the like.

This body-encircling member is provided with a tape 2 attached as by sewing along the bottom edge of member for reinforcement. Member 1 also has the side portions 3 and 4 (FIG. 2) which taper toward the ends of the encircling member 1. A binding or tape (FIG. 4) is appropriately sewn to the top edges of the side portions 3 and 4.

The side portion 3 has an end 5 reinforced by tape 6 (FIG. 4) and supporting hooks 7. These hooks 7 are 3,145,714 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 intended to engage in appropriate eyes formed at the other end 4 of the body-encircling member 1.

The body-encircling member 1 has a pair of arcuate recesses 8 and 9, shown to best advantage in FIG. 5. The recess 9 extends from a lateral terminus 9a downwardly toward the lower edge of the brassiere thence upwardly to a frontal terminus 917 located at the center of the body-encircling member.

Attached to each of the arcuate recesses 8 is a cup structure including a pair of parts 11 and 12. Each of these parts has an arcuate edge 13 or 14, adapted to fit the arcuate recess 8, and to be attached thereto as by lines of stitching 15. These parts 11 and 12 have diagonal edges 16 and 17 of curved configuration. These edges overlap and are free and unattached. The only portion of the parts 11 and 12 attached to the body-encircling member 1 are the arcuate portions 13 and 14.

If desired, each part 11 and 12 may be made of two different materials. For example, the lower part may be made of relatively stout satin or broadcloth, while the upper part joined to the lower part by the stitching 18 (FIG. 5) may be of doubled lace or tule or the like.

Shoulder straps 19 and 20 are provided for supporting the brassiere upon the body. These straps preferably include a oneway stretch portion 21 and a tape or other stout portion 22, adjustable as by the aid of buckle member 23. At the lower end of the strap 19 is a link 24 through which a supporting strap 25 is passed. The ends of this supporting strap are attached by appropriate stitching to the upper portions of the cup parts 11 and 12. Tape 26 (FIG. 5) is used to reinforce the upper edge of bodyencircling member 1, and the top edge of the cup parts 12, so as to sustain the pull of the supporting strap without distorting or warping the cup structures.

In use, relative movement is permitted between the two cup parts 11 and 12, and proper tension holding the cup parts in proper position is exerted by the ends of the strap 25. In this way, the volume of the cup formed by the two parts is automatically adjusted and made to conform to the breasts of the wearer.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, the overlapping portions of the cup parts 11 and 12 are formed substantially in a central area of the cup. As the parts 11 and 12 move with respect to each other, the supporting strap may also move lengthwise through the loop or link 24.

The inventor claims:

In a brassiere: a body-encircling member having an upper edge provided with a pair of arcuate portions defining spaced upwardly opening arcuate cup recesses, each of said arcuate cup recesses having a lateral terminus on one side and a frontal terminus on the other side respectively located adjacent the side and front of the bodyencircling member; a pair of cup structures respectively attached to the cup recesses, each cup structure includa pair of partially overlapping cup-shaped segments,

one of the cup segments being located at one side of the cup recess and secured along the said arcuate edge portion of the cup recess from the frontal terminus of the cup recess to a point adjacent but spaced from the lateral terminus of the cup recess, and the other of the cup segments being located at the other side of the cup recess and secured along the said arcuate edge portion of the cup recess from the lateral terminus of the cup recess in overlapping relationship to said one cup segment to a point adjacent but spaced from the frontal terminus of the cup recess; said cup segments substantially overlapping each other at the center of the cup structure; said segments having substantially diagonally extending free overlapping areuate edges intersecting each other at a point located at the upper central portion of the cup structure; the segments being attached to each other only along the arcuate edge portion of the cup recess; and a shoulder strap for each of the cup structures and having parts secured respectively to the upper portions of the cup segments at places spaced laterally from the said intersecting point of said free edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Decker July 8,

Farino June 16,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Jan. 1,

France Mar. 12, 

